446 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



[ November 18, 1875. 



the rockery, for it is not safe to leave it in the ordinary border 

 tbrongh the winter. It is a spring-blooming plant of compact 

 habit, and its lovely-coloured blooms claim for it a first place 

 in the spring garden. — Veritas. 



COLE ORTON HALL, No. 1. 



THK SEAT OF SIU GF.ORGE 11. BEAUMONT, BART. 



It was during a "rift in the clouds" in the period of the 

 midland deluge that I paid a flying visit to this memorable 

 place — memorable alike for its historical associations, its in- 

 trinsic beauty, its rocks, dells, Conifero3, its monumental en- 

 tablatures, and last, but not least, for the successful practice in 

 fruit, especially (irape production, which has for a period of 

 thirty years been carried on by Mr. Henderson. 



The first syllable of Cole Orton is a corruption of " coal," 

 applied to the district on account of the coal pits around, and 

 Orton is a contraction of Overton. It is mentioned as early 

 as the time of Henry III., and after various descents passed by 

 marriage in Ii2i3 to the Beaumont family. After various for- 

 feitures during the war of the " Two Roses " it finally was 

 resumed by the Eeanmonts. It was first imparked by one of 

 the Maurewards in the fourteenth century, but the old paik 

 was soon destroyed by the establishment of coal mines. The 

 old hall, erected in ICOO by Sir Henry and Lady Beaumont, 

 was destroyed during the civil wars. The present residence. 

 Cole Orton Hall, was commenced building in 1804 by Sir G. H. 

 Beaumont, and finished in 1808. 



The mansion is in the French and Gothic style of architec- 

 ture, and is rich in works of art by the old masters, including 

 many from the easel of the first Sir George Beaumont ; it also 

 contains some of the masterpieces of Sir David Wilkie. The 

 grounds are not onl.y beautiful in their arrangement and by 

 the many fine views they command through vistas of foliage, 

 but they teem with interest from their connection with in- 

 cidents of names renowned in science and literature. At every 

 turn the visitor is reminded of the classic associations of the 

 place by busts, and urns, and rock-engraved poetry. At one 

 place is the Cedar which Wordsworth planted and made famous, 

 at another is the ponderous stone where Mrs. Siddons, Cole- 

 ridge, and Wordsworth met and held " congenial converse." 

 There is the urn and avenue in memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 

 and the " niche in the rock " out by Wordsworth and Mrs. 

 Wordsworth, and in which a portion of Ivanhoe was written 

 by Sir Walter Scott. Having shadowed forth the nature of 

 the place I wUl attempt to detail some of its more prominent 

 features. 



The surroundings of the mansion are heavily wooded, many 

 of the trees where isolated being remarkably fine, while 

 thousands are so closely massed as not to show their individual 

 proportions. They have mostly an undergrowth of evergi-eens, 

 and it is worthy of note how healthy the Yews are on which 

 the sun can never shine during the summer mouths, and which 

 proves the value of this shrub for undergrowth. But con- 

 tiguous to the mansion are open lawns of considerable extent, 

 and which contain many handsome specimens of deciduous 

 trees and Conifers. 



Wordsworth would appear to have been the chief adviser in 

 the laying-out of these gardens and grounds, and at the time 

 of their formation he dedicated to Lady Beaumont the follow- 

 ing lines on the garden which he planted : — 



" Lady I the songs of spring were iu the grove 

 While I was shaping beds for winter flowers ; 

 While I was planting green unfading bowers. 

 And shrubs to hang upon the warm alcove 

 And sheltering wall; and still as fancy wovo 

 The dream to Nature's blended powers 

 I gave this pai-adise for winter hours — 

 A labyrinth, lady, which your feet shall rove. 

 ■*/es, when the sun of life more feebly shines, 

 l-iecoming thoughts, I trust, of solemn gloom 

 Or of high gladness you shall hither bring. 

 And these perennial bowers and murmuring Fines 

 B ■ gracious as the music and the bloom, 

 Al d all the mighty raviehment of spring." 



Thus did Wordsworth write of this winter garden, compris- 

 ing about 3 acres, eveiy tree of which passed through his own 

 hands, and which are still cherished in their wild stateliness. 

 The "labyrinth" has gone, and the "winter fiowers " are 

 overgrnwa by ibe "green unfading bowers," save a few old 

 spring herbai-i.'us plants and bulbs which fringe the shrubby 

 beds; butthu ■■ perennial Pines " are vigorous, almost majestic, 

 and are living memorials of the poet's love and labours. 



The garden, which is known as " Wordsworth's garden," 



is charmingly diversified iu character. It contains a romantic 

 dell, bounded on one side by rugged rocks, overshadowed by a 

 gigantic Wych Elm, whose gaunt arms stretch over immense 

 space, and its twisted tortuous roots leap over the sides of the 

 rock, affixing themselves in the crevices below. At the base 

 are Ferns revelling in wild luxuriance. Wending our way 

 under the " unfading bowers " we come to still more rugged 

 Ivy-clad rocks of venerable aspect, and near them a fine marble 

 vase from Pompeii. We pass on — the very atmosphere redolent 

 of romance and poetry — and here is the Grotto, just such a 

 place as one might fancy "where rural fays and fairies dwell," 

 and here we find the niche in the rock before alluded to. It 

 is squarely and cleanly hewn, of suflicieut size to form a com- 

 fortable resting place, and in which the author of Waverley 

 reclined and gave play to his rich imagination. Close by, 

 inscribed on a tablet by Wordsworth himself, are the follow- 

 ing lines : — 



" Oft is the medal faithful to its trust 

 When temples, columns, towers are laid in dust; 

 And 'lis a common ordinance of fate 

 'that things obscure and small outlive foe great. 

 Hence when yon mansion and the flowery trim 

 Of this fair garden and its alleys dim. 

 And all its stately trees are passed away. 

 This little niche, unconscious of decay, 

 Perchance may still survive. And be it known 

 That it was scooped within the living stone, 

 Not by the sluggish and un^Tatefnl pains 

 Of labourer plodding for his daily gains ; 

 But by an industry that wrought in love. 

 With help from female hands which proudly strove 

 To aid the work, what time these walks and bowers 

 Were shaped to cheer dark winter's lonely hours." 



Near to this hermit-like retreat we pause to glance at the 

 ruins of an Ivy-covered cottage, reached by an ascent of rude 

 steps. This once formed part of the village of Cole Orton, and 

 was the scene of Sir David WUkie's famous painting of " An 

 Old Woman Knitting." The old rnin is quite ornamental, 

 and is in admirable keeping with the wild solitude of this part 

 of the grounds. Passing through a stone arch we come to an 

 open lawn, and find many specimens of Coniferie of perfect 

 form and in great luxuriance. These, on the smooth lawn and 

 thinly planted, show their graceful outlines and proportion to 

 great perfection. Of Pinus Morinda there is a grand example, 

 and Welliugtonias and Deodars are to be classed amongst the 

 finest in the country. Thuja gigantea is 2.5 feet in height, 

 and Picea nobilis is considerably taller, and clothed in its 

 beautiful silvery garb. We pass a grand specimen of Abies 

 orientalis, quite 30 feet in height, rich in colour and dense ; 

 and Picea lasiocarpa is of immense size and vigorous. We 

 hurry past many others, but are compelled to pause at Abies 

 Douglasii. This handsome specimen was planted by Mr. 

 Henderson when it was only 15 inches high ; it is now^O feet 

 in height, and has long had crops of splendid cones. Picea 

 nobilis has also had cones ; it is a fine pyramid, and was 

 itself raised from English seed. Pinus grandis is too tall to 

 guess at, and we had no time to measure its height, but it is 

 30 yards round as it sweeps the lawn. Of Cedrus deodara 

 robusta there is a noble specimen, quite distinct from the 

 original type. Retinosporas are 8 to 10 feet in height, and 

 Cryptomerias, Cupressuses, Araucarias, Ac, four times those 

 heights. The Araucarias are exceedingly fine and varied in 

 habit. From some of them seed is regularly saved. In this 

 piuetnm are many valuable specimens which I cannot notice, 

 and which are in remarkable health and condition. 



But we have not quite done with trees, for on the lawn, in 

 more immediate vicinage of the mansion, we come to examples 

 which compel a momentary glance. 



Near the church (an appropriate site) is a fine Deodar, 

 which the inscription states was planted by Archbishop Howley 

 on July 30th, 184C, his Grace being then in his 81st year. The 

 church is within the grounds on the margin of the lawn. " Do 

 you care for a church"" asked my guide. Do I care for a 

 church ! (it will be an evil day for England when churches are 

 not cared for, but there is not much fear of that being tho 

 caseK I do care, and more than care, for a church, so I am 

 permitted to enter. I am tempted to dwell on those who have 

 found solace here, but refrain ; but I am pleased to see tho 

 church is cared for witli a loving and a reasonable care. There 

 are a few flowers in it — " Everlastings " — and old family 

 monuments, and " breathings in stone " of Wordsworth. On 

 one of the monuments I note that Sir Henry and Lady 

 Bi^aumont died in 1607 and 1608 respectively, and another 

 tells ua that Sir George Beaumont, the great painter, died 

 * February 7tb, 1827. The church is an integral part of Cole 



